This invention relates generally to the field of hair and scalp treatment compositions. Specifically, it is directed to noncomedogenic shampoo, conditioner, and scalp formulations for treating skin conditions characterized by clogged pores and oily skin. However, unlike skin treatments of the past, the current invention also serves the dual-purpose of providing a salon quality hair product that cleanses and moisturizes hair. Furthermore, while the shampoo, conditioner, and scalp formulations of the invention are generally applied to the hair and scalp, their therapeutic effects also reach surrounding areas such as the face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper arms and back.
Described as a disease of the pilosebaceous unit, almost all individuals have been affected by acne at one time or another. The pilosebaceous unit is made up of the hair follicle, sebaceous gland, arrector pili muscle, and hair. Although these units are ubiquitous, the largest and most numerous are found on the face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper arms and back, and chest areas, which accounts for the fact that most acne occurs in these regions. The sebaceous gland is responsible for producing sebum, an oily secretion made up of lipids and the debris of fat-producing cells.
Acne is generally associated with several factors, including increase in sebaceous secretions, obstruction of the pilosebaceous unit, abnormal presence of bacteria, and inflammation. The disease is believed to result from a change in the inner lining of the follicle that prevents the sebum from passing through. Although a natural part of the human body, too much or too little production of the substance is undesirable. Under normal conditions, sebum combines with cells that are continually being sloughed from the hair follicle. Once the hair follicle becomes filled with the substance, the sebum spreads to the surrounding skin areas of the face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper arms and back producing an oily appearance. This action is responsible for moisturizing the skin and maintaining its health.
In the diseased state, cells from the inner lining of the follicle shed too fast and clump together. The clumped cells plug the follicle openings preventing the sebum from reaching the surface of the skin. Natural bacteria, which use the sebum as a source of nutrients, grow in the plugged follicles and produce chemicals and enzymes that result in inflammation. Excessive amounts of sebum production can result in the substance being trapped within the hair follicle, resulting in follicular obstruction. The sebum follicle becomes plugged up as sebum produced therein becomes trapped in the follicle. The process of obstructing follicles is known as comedogenesis, with the enlarged follicle plugged with oil and bacteria known as a comedone.
Many products are currently on the market for the treatment of acne. Most require prolonged use and generically work by preventing excessive shedding of cells into the pores, neutralizing excessive bacteria, promoting anti-inflammatory effects, or manipulating hormone levels. Treatment options include contact with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, treatment with antibiotics, topical retinoids, oral retinoids, hormone therapy and use of light based therapies.
Although acne is most commonly associated with the face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper arms and back, hirsute areas such as the scalp are also prone to developing acne. Specifically, unhealthy levels of sebum on the scalp can lead to infection and inflammation of what would otherwise be healthy follicles. The problem becomes compounded because the excess sebum that is excreted onto the scalp transfers onto hair and/or can migrate to surrounding areas of the face, neck, chest, shoulders, upper arms and back, consequently exacerbating acne in those areas. Individuals seeking to eliminate oil on the scalp and hair have turned to harsh shampoos and conditioners. These products have generally consisted of chemicals that “cleanse” by broadly eliminating all of the oil on the hair. As a result, the body produces a greater amount of sebum to compensate for the widespread loss, making matters worse. Furthermore, these products have traditionally consisted of comedogenic chemicals that have produced allergic reactions on the scalp, face, shoulders, and back.
Benzoyl peroxide, although an effective anti-acne agent that fights bacteria and removes dead skin, cannot be incorporated in a dual-purpose hair product because of its harsh effects on hair. In fact, benzoyl peroxide is such a harsh product that it will change the color of any hair that it comes into contact with. Treatments using other medications are either not effective, require permission from a physician, are cost prohibitive, and/or have unwanted side effects. Topical formulations containing antibacterial agents which prevent excess dirt or bacteria buildup on the hair follicles are not always effective and may result in drying of the scalp. As previously described, shampoos have been designed with compounds that remove excess oil. However, in developing topical formulations to treat oily hair, effectiveness often becomes a balancing act. Too much oil production causes acne; too harsh of an oil removing formulation results in dry, irritated skin, and hair that is harsh, rough, subject to static electricity, dull, and hard to detangle. Therefore in a dual-purpose product, it is important to maintain a healthy balance of sebum on the skin and hair. The proper balance is struck where enough sebum is left to lubricate and maintain a protective water barrier on the skin and hair, yet not enough to noticeably exacerbate acne.
Salicylic acid is one tool that has been widely used in the treatment of conditions characterized by excess production of skin cells and inflammation. It is largely held that it is the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and keratolytic effects of salicylic acid that aid in the treatment of such conditions. Salicylic acid has been used to treat these conditions in a variety of forms, one of which is shampoo. However, incorporating salicylic acid into shampoo is difficult because it has poor solubility in water. Incorporation therefore requires carefully weighed ratios of salicylic acid to suspension agent. In addition to this difficulty, the use of active ingredients in shampoos has further problems. To that point, application Ser. No. 11/194,582 to Arkin et al. describes disadvantages such as the danger of contact between an active ingredient in the shampoo and the eyes of a treated individual.
It has also been found that secondary ingredients can play a large role alongside salicylic acid in the treatment of some skin conditions. For example, application Ser. No. 10/397,155 to Amjad, et al. teaches the addition of tea tree leaf oil to dandruff treating shampoos. However, as Amjad et al. also discloses, oils have their own difficulties in combination with shampoos because they are incompatible with the surfactants therein. This incompatibility makes for an unsatisfactory product as to foam, lather, and cleansing properties.
While the incorporation of salicylic acid and other secondary ingredients in shampoos has the above-mentioned problems, these difficulties are only compounded in the case of acne treatment. Due to the hypersensitivity of an afflicted person's skin, the slightest shift in conditions, e.g. increased or decreased sebum, bacteria, exfoliation, etc., can result in exacerbation of the condition. Proper treatment therefore requires a product that incorporates primary and secondary ingredients in just the right amounts. Although many ingredients have desirable properties for use in acne treatment, unfortunately, if not added in the correct quantity or ratio as to the other ingredients, their use will result in unwanted effects. This balance is especially important in a product designed to treat acne and cleanse and condition hair.
Therefore, what is needed is a dual-purpose, non-comedogenic, non-sebum producing formula that can be used as a shampoo, conditioner, and/or scalp treatment which cleans and moisturizes hair while treating acne and related skin conditions on the scalp and surrounding areas by unclogging pores and only maintaining an amount of sebum sufficient to lubricate and protect the skin and hair.